Nutrition

“We are indeed much more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we are”                                                                     Adelle Davis

Eating with awareness may be just as important as the food we intake. Mindful eating has the powerful potential to transform our relationship to food and eating, to improve overall health, body image, relationships and self-esteem. From menu planning and food preparation, to the physical and emotional experience of eating a meal, eating mindfully directs attention to the present moment and to suspend automatic reactions and negative self-judgment to break the cycle of eating without thinking, and enables us to make better choices.

Effects of Prolonged Stress on Nutrition

Stress changes our eating behaviors thereby increasing the risk of nutritional deficiencies and the development of chronic disease. Chronic life stress seems to be associated with a greater preference for energy- and nutrient-dense foods, namely those that are high in sugar and fat. Stress creates changes in our physical health by impacting our food consumption, calories and food quantity (too many or too few), and healthy choices such as fast food. Poor food choices send signals to the body to make unhealthy chemicals that damage the body. An example of this is inflammation, which negatively impacts physical health as well as affects our moods.

Mind-Body Connection

Eating foods that are “natural and whole” help improve overall health. Studies indicate that eating patterns such as the traditional Mediterranean and Okinawan diets, that incorporate minimally processed, high-fiber, plan-based foods such as vegetables and fruits, whole grains, legumes, and nuts, along with fish oil, cinnamon, and other phytochemicals and exercise will markedly improve cardiovascular health and reduce inflammation.

For those who have a chronic health condition that may be related to nutrition (i.e., chronic fatigue, allergies, GI issues, fibromyalgia, headaches, depression, inability to lose weight, and fatigue), we can create a comprehensive elimination diet for 1-2 weeks to evaluate any changes in symptoms.